21H.912 Spring 2003

Semi-Optional Film Series/Project

Origins/Purpose: The origins of this assignment came through teaching and off-handedly recommending films for students. I was not aware of good films for certain weeks, so I solicited suggestions from my colleagues. Students must watch at three films (one of which must come from Weeks 2-7) for their film project assignment. You may watch additional films for your personal edification and enjoyment, or you may receive extra credit by writing a one-page reaction for any film(s), preferably addressing issues covered in lecture or readings that week—you may also do this for the three films that you cover for the project. The historian E.H. Carr defines history as “a continuous process of interaction between the historian and his facts, an unending dialogue between the present and the past.”1 He goes on to explain that “[t]he past is intelligible to us only in the light of the present; and we can fully understand the present only in the light of the past. To enable man to understand the society of the past and to increase his mastery over the society of the present is the dual function of history.”2 Nevertheless, there is always the danger of misusing history and drawing analogies where none exist. For example, last fall noted historian John Dower (MIT) wrote an impassioned response in the NY Times to the misuse of the Pearl Harbor analogy for September 11th.3 Thus, while present conditions can enlighten us as to what happened in the past, they can also cloud our memory and interpretation. Through this assignment, students are to compare the treatment of three subjects in films with our discussion of the issues in lecture/readings; and they are to research the making of the film in order to understand whether the film is more illuminating of the past than the present. Most of this research can be carried out online; however, students should again be warned against the risks of plagiarism.

Writing the Paper: Viewing the films: Students need to take this assignment seriously—not just half watch the films as they work on other assignments. Students should think carefully about the material covered for each week as well as the questions that accompany each film. Put differently, you should take notes on these films. At least one film must come from the first half of the course—Weeks 2-7. More information on the historical period: If you feel that you need more information, then you may feel free to approach Prof. Russell and ask to borrow one of her books on the subject or a world history textbook. Prof. Russell will provide these on half-day loan so that you can photocopy the information that you need and return the books in a timely fashion.

1 E.H. Carr, What is History (NY: Vintage Books, 1961), 35. 2 Ibid., 69. 3 See Op-Ed section of NY Times, October 27, 2002. Information on the making of the film: The easiest way to get more information is by doing a Google search on the film. You are likely to find numerous reviews, interviews, and other helpful information—YOU MUST CITE ALL INFORMATION THAT YOU TAKE FROM THE WEB, EVEN IF IT IS PARAPHRASED! Any questions regarding plagiarism should be answered by the following link: http://web.mit.edu/writing/NEW/Citation/plagiarism.html. Also, remember that you are probably more intelligent than many of the people writing these reviews—take them with a grain of salt. Structuring the paper—Issues to address: 1. In your introductory paragraph you should introduce the reader to your films, the reason that you chose them, and make a general statement about how they rate for understanding the era that they attempt to portray and the era in which they were made. 2. You can then deal with films individually—by rank, or utilize themes and go back and forth between the films. 3. You should have a concluding paragraph that deals with what you gained (or failed to gain) from watching the film and address the utility (or lack thereof) of the assignment.

Films—By Week PLEASE NOTE, FILMS IDENTIFIED BY AN ASTERISK * ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE 6-8 PAGE PAPER, BUT MAY BE VIEWED FOR ENJOYMENT OR EXTRA-CREDIT REACTION PAPERS

You may also choose one film that is not on the list, provided that you get professorial approval beforehand.

Week One *Sulayman the Magnificent: This is a film that I frequently show in my Middle East classes because it gives an excellent overview of the Ottoman Empire. This film is about 1 hour long. 1. By examining the careers of Ibrahim Pasha and Sinan Pasha, what generalizations can we make regarding careers in the Ottoman bureaucracy? 2. What was happening in Europe during the reign of Sulayman, and what role did he play in European politics? 3. Describe the form and function of the imperial household, including the harem. 4. Examine the development of the Ottoman navy. 5. Discuss the uses of architecture in the Ottoman Empire. Week Two The Decameron: This 1971 film is an adaptation of a handful of the stories from Boccacio’s book by the same name. The book’s premise is that a group of wealthy young folk leave the city (Florence) to escape the horrors of the plague (1347-49). They tell one another stories to pass the time—the film does not make this clear. This film is just under 2 hours long. 1. How is Christianity depicted? 2. What role does the Church play in daily life. 3. What elements of syncretism exist? 4. What sense of social orders or class are depicted? From where/what do the characters derive their sense of identity? Week Three Double Suicide: This 1969 film is an adaptation of an 18th century puppet play—puppeteers remain as crucial elements of the film. The film is 103 minutes long. 1. Theme of humanity versus social obligation. 2. Does the film demonstrate the power or powerlessness of women? Of men? Week Four The Return of Martin Guerre: This 1982 film starring Gerard Depardieu (when he was young and thin) depicts an actual story told in court records from 16th century France. Princeton University professor Natalie Zemon Davis even consulted on the film. This film is far superior to the copy-cat version Sommersby starring Richard Gere and Jody Foster. It is 123 minutes long. 1. Where does syncretism exist? Why? 2. What role does national allegiance play? 3. What is the purpose of the charivari—scene in which young Martin is beaten up and people are dressed strangely? 4. How is early modern life in France depicted? 5. What types of difficulties does Bertrande have before Martin returns—what problems does a woman who is without a man encounter? Week Five A Man for All Seasons: This 1966 film is based on the events surrounding King Henry VIII and his creation of the Anglican Church against the wishes of Sir Thomas More. This film is about 2 hours long. 1. How powerful (or powerless) is the English monarch? 2. How did Henry manage to marry his brother’s widow (Catherine of Aragon)? 3. Why doesn’t Henry just keep Ann as a lover, why does he want to marry her? 4. How easy (or difficult) is it to renounce the Pope? 5. Why does Henry seem so insistent on More’s approval and why is More so inflexible on the issue? 6. How does the rise of Protestantism in England differ from continental Europe? Week Six Last Supper: Not to be confused with 1990s film starring Cameron Diaz, this 1977 film tells the story of a plantation owner who casts himself as Jesus in the last supper among his slave apostles. 1. What does this film tell you about the creation of racism? 2. What does this film tell you about New World slavery?

*Clotel: I decided to include this book because it is one that I really enjoy. Written by William Wells Brown in 1853, it is one of the first (if not the first) African-American novel. Fictionally it tells the factually plausible story of President Jefferson’s mulatto daughter. 1. How does Clotel view her own identity? 2. What defines white and black? 3. Why did the author write this story? Week Seven Danton: For those of you that saw the Return of Martin Guerre, you will notice that Gerard Depardieu (in the title role of Danton) has gained a significant amount of weight. Although a number of left-wing French historians have bashed the film, it does portray the crisis between moderates and extremists during the Reign of Terror. This 1982 film is about 2 _ hours long. 1. What factions do Robespierre and Danton exemplify? 2. What function does the Committee of Public Safety provide? 3. How would you characterize the trial of Danton? 4. What does Danton mean when he says “Revolutionary principles have made you forget the revolution.”? Week Eight Oliver Twist: This 1948 version of the Charles Dickens classic is considered by many the best film adaptation. Star Wars fans will probably not recognize Alec Guiness as Fagan—there was quite a bit of make-up and prosthetics used to create this character. 1. What are the positive and negative characteristics of Victorian London portrayed in the film? 2. Why does the film have an uplifting ending? Week Nine *Ancestors in the Americas: Coolies, Sailors, and Settlers: This docu-memoir forces the viewer to see what life was like for early Asian immigrants to the Americas. This film is 66 minutes long. 1. What role did the Philippines play in the migration of Asians to the Americas? 2. Discuss US power vis a vis Chinese power in the late 18th/early 19th centuries. 3. Discuss the significance of tea. 4. How did the US view Britain’s role in the Opium Wars? 5. What role did the abolition of the slave trade (and later slavery) have on Asian immigration to the Americas? 6. Discuss the various means (routes) Asians took to get to N America. Week Ten El Norte: This highly depressing 1984 movie is about two Guatemalan siblings fleeing their homeland for the promise of “the north”. As one might imagine, the north is anything but the promised land about which they have dreamed. This film is 2 hours and 21 minutes long. 1. Why must Enrique and Rosa leave their homeland? Do they ever really leave it? Can they return? 2. What issues of identity face the protagonists? What does it mean to be Guatemalan? Mexican? American? How does perspective play into these identities—i.e. what stereotypes exist between and among these populations? 3. Contrast the siblings’ Mayan village with Tijuana. Which is more genuine or real? To whom? Why? 4. Why does the chicano busboy turn Enrique in to the INS? How does this action contrast with the seamstress who helps young Guatemalan women in the factory and in the homes of rich Americans? 5. What kinds of opportunities do Enrique and Rosa have? Do these opportunities affect their identity? Week Eleven My Childhood: This 1938 movie was based upon the first part of Aleksei Maximovich Peshkov’s (1868-1936, better known as Maksim Gorky) autobiography first published in 1913. Again, this is not a particularly uplifting story, but it is representative of late 19th/early 20th century Russia. This film is 100 minutes long. 1. How is this film both a universal “orphan” tale and a film specific to the time period. 2. Our lecture will focus on Russian “backwardness”—what evidence do you see in the film? Is there evidence that times are changing? Week Twelve Gallipoli: The first part of this film documents the lives of the would-be soldiers (one of whom is Mel Gibson) at home in Australia, and then it depicts the attack on Turkish lines by Australian/New Zealand forces (ANZAC). The movie makers actually consulted the diaries and letters of men involved in the campaign to help them create the dialogue for the film. This 1981 film is 111 minutes long. 1. Why are the protagonists so eager to sign up for a war that they know so little about? 2. From the depiction in the film, what do you learn about methods of warfare during WWI? Do you think that the film accurately conveyed the horrors of trench warfare? 3. How does the charge in the film compare with the Battle of the Somme that we discussed in class?

Avalon: This 1990 film is the third in Barry Levinson’s autobiographical “Baltimore Trilogy” (Tin Men and Diner were the others). It covers the life of several generations of a Jewish immigrant family in Baltimore. This film runs 2 hours 8 minutes. 1. Why does Sam Krichinsky come to the US—Baltimore, in particular? When does he come—i.e. timing worldwide and the specific timing in the US? 2. Why does Jules not want to follow the occupation of his father? What occupation does he choose? Why does he view this as better? 3. What role does television play in this film? 4. When and how does the Krichinsky family enter the middle class? How is this evident? 5. Why does Sam lament the fact that “This is not a family.” What does this tell you about the identity of the Krichinsky family Week Thirteen Unbearable Lightness of Being: This 1988 Philip Kaufman film is based on Milan Kundera’s novel (same title). The story is about a guy, Tomas, who wants to fornicate wildly without any emotional entanglements. Fortunately for him he as a steady source of companionship with a painter named Sabina, who shares a similar philosophy. Nevertheless, as you might guess Tomas does eventually fall in love. The backdrop of the film is Czechoslovakia in 1968, when the Soviets invaded and restored the hard-line wing of the Czech Communist party. One of the major complaints by reviewers is the “unbearable” length of the film—just shy of 3 hours. 1. How or why was the environment in Czechoslovakia conducive to creating a character like Tomas (or Sabina)? 2. How is the Russian invasion depicted in the film?

Battle of Algiers: This 1965 film depicts the Algerian struggle for independence from the French—note Algerian independence came in 1962. Although the film is completely scripted, it appears almost documentary in look and feel. The film was banned in France for quite some time, and some versions distributed in Britain and the US cut the French torture scenes. The film runs about 2 hours and 16 minutes (uncut, or 2 hours, cut). 1. How is the guerilla movement organized? 2. What methods does the colonial government use to dismantle the movement? 3. What role does the old city (Kasbah) play in the film?

To Live: This 1994 film tells the story of a Chinese family from the 1940s up through the Cultural Revolution. The film was banned in China, and the director and lead actor suffered ill consequences as well. It runs 125 minutes. 1. How does the depiction of the arrival of Communism, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution differ from (or supplement) the depiction given in lecture? 2. What role does the family play in Chinese society? 3. What other episode(s) in world history come to mind as you watch the Cultural Revolution unfold? Week Fourteen Cannibal Tours: This 1988 film was directed by Dennis O’Rourke, an Australian4 whose work has centered upon Western domination of formerly colonized societies. Cannibal Tours follows the escapades of Italian, American, and German tourists visiting the Sepik River Valley in New Guinea. It runs 1 _ hours—make sure that you see the entire film—there are places where it appears to end. 1. What objects, other than carvings, do the tourists bring back with them? 2. Examine the bargaining that takes place in Cannibal Tours. What do the Papuans say about it? Why do you think the tourists insist on bargaining? What is the meaning of this for these tourists? 3. Identify scenes in the movie that made you laugh. 4. What music does O’Rourke use for the film? What does this music usually symbolize? Why do you suppose that O’Rourke chose it? 5. What body parts do the tourists consume (i.e., take away with them as consumers).

4 O’Rourke eschews identification with a nation-state. See his interview with Nancy Lutkehaus in Cultural Anthropology (1989), 435.